Spring construction



W. B. SMITH, R. L. WILCOX AND G. A. FRANZ.

SPRING CONSTRUCHON.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20. 1917.

1 ,359, 1 20, Patented Nov. 16, 1920 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WATSON R. SMITH. RALPH L. WILCOX. AND GUSTAV A. FRANZ. OF JACKSON; MICHIGAN. ASSIGNORS TO JACKSON CUSHION SPRING COMPANY, OF JACK- SON, MICHIGAN.

SPRING CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

Application filed October 20, 1917. Serial No. 197,598.

T 0 a]? whom it may concem:

Be it known that we, 'a'rsox B. SMITH, RALPH L. 'ILcox. and GL'STAV A. FRANZ, citizens of the nited States, residi at Jackson. in the county of Jackson and tate of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Constructions. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spring constructions.

One object of the invention is to provide a spring structure embodying upper and lower sets of springs and interposed between which is a sheet of canvas or other porous material designed to divide the spring structure into upper and lower air compartments into the lower one of which compartments the air is forced and compressed upon compression of the upper set of springs and through which sheet of porous matej'ial, the air returns to the upper air compartment upon release of compression of the upper set of springs.

Another object resides in the provision of a spring structure embodying the characteristics just stated. wherein the canvas or other similar porous material is stretched tightly onto a marginal frame so as to effectively support the sheet of porous material for the purpose of providing the aforesaid upper and lower air compartments and to prevent the upper set of springs from completely collapsing or going down into the lower set of springs. V

A still further object resides in the provision of a spring structure embodying upper and lower frames and an intermediate frame. with a set of springs arranged between the intermediate frame and the lower frame and another set of springs of lighter gage material than the lower set of springs. arranged between the intermediate frame and the upper frame in combinationwith a sheet of canvas or other similar porous material stretched tightly across the spring structure between the upper and lower sets of springs to provide a noiseless connection between the upper and lower sets of springs and which sheet material is provided with a marginal frame and supported at its marginal frame by suitable means on the aforesaid intermediate frame.

With the above and other objects in view,

the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being.-

Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention,

parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the spring structure:

Fig. 3 is a detailed fragmentary perspec tive view of one corner of the spring structure, illustrating the intermediate frame and the canvas or other material connected thereto.

Fig. l is a fragmentary view illustrating the downwardly arched stay wires connected to the upper frame.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the referencecharacters 4 and 5 indicate upper and lower frames respectively, interposed between which. and located nearer to the lower frame than tothe upper frame is an intermediate frame 6.

Springs 7 are arranged in rows between the lower frame 5 and said intermediate" frame 6, the springs 7 being secured in any suitable manner on supportmg wires 8 connected in any suitable manner to the lower frame 5.

Supporting wires 9 are arranged transversely of the intermediate frame 6 and at their ends coiled. around the sides of the latter. Longitudinal spring supporting wires 10 arearranged longitudinally of the intermediate frame 6 and at their ends coiled around the ends of the intermediate frame in any suitable manner. These spring supporting wires 9 and 10 are of relatively small gage material, as compared with the 100 heavier spring supporting wires 8. Rows of springs 11 are secured to these supporting wires 9 and 10 in any suitable manner with the border springs of the upper set of springs 11 connected at 12 to the upper 105 frame 4. the upper convolutions of all of the springs of the upper set 11 being connected together by sets of coiled springs 13,

with the springs of each set of springs 13 cross ng or intersecting with each other, as

shown. If desired, one or more stay wires let may be connected at their ends to the upper frame 4 as shown particularly in Fig. 1. These stay wires 14 are preferably arched downwardly. The upper set of springs 11 are preferably of lighter gage material than the lower set of springs 7, and

are preferably longer than the latter, as shown.

A sheet of canvas or other similar porous material 15 is located within the structure between the abutting ends of the upper and lower sets of springs and one function performed by this canvas or similar material is to prevent the upper or lighter springs from completely collapsing or going down inside the lower or heavier springs. A second function of this canvas or similar material is to obviate the possibility of noise between the two sets of springs. This canvas or similar material is preferably stretched tightly between said sets of springs before the cushion is upholstered so as to produce a sort of pneumatic effect. Ypon compression of the top row of springs,

air is forced downwardly through the pores of the canvas or similar material, and prevents quick complete compression of the upper set of springs. 'hen the upper set of springs react to come to their normal condition after compression, they cannot come back with a quick rebound, because of the fact that the air compressed in the lower part of the structure pases upwardly through the canvas sheet or similar material. The canvas sheet divides the spring structure into upper and lower air compartments. the air being forced from one compartment to the other according to the compression or expansion of the upper set of spr' The i iivas sheet 15 is preferably provided with a marginal wire or other frame 16. The canvas sheet. at its edges. is preferably folded over this wire frame 16 and the material sewed so that the frame 16 is confined within a marginal pocket of the canvas sheet. The marginal pocket forms a sound-deadening roll and the intermediate frame-is seated against the sound-deadening roll at the inner side thereof above the diaphragm or sheet 15. The marginal pocket of the canvas sheet is reinforced in holdyield in the event of a heavy compression of the upper set of springs under the influ ence of weight of a rider, or incident to jolts in the event that the structure is utilized as a seat in an automobileor other vehicle.

What is claimed is:

In a spring structure upper and lower sets of springs. spring connecting frames arranged at the upper and lower ends of the upper set of springs and secured to the ends of the same, said spring connecting frames v being constructed of metal of a uniform size, a fabric diaphragm lnterposed between the upper and lower sets of springs and havmg its marginal edges coiled to form sounddeadening rolls. an intermediate frame constructed of material of greater diameter than the said frames'and arranged within the said sound-deadening roll. said sounddeadening roll forming a seat for the lower one of the intermediate frames. crossed supporting wires extending across the fabric diaphragmv at the upper face thereof and secured to the said lower spring connecting frame and clips embracing the sound deadening roll and the said lower spring connecting frame and retaining the latter at the inner side of the sound-deadening roll and also embracing the lower ends of the upper set of springs.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

WATSON B. SMITH. RALPH L. ILCOX. GUSTAV A. FRANZ.

Witnms: I

F RED L. SMITH,

J.F.CLARK 

